JayRacer37
15th October 2007, 16:25
Taupo, Victoria Club Winter Series Round 5, 13th October 2007.
Hey there guys,
Just a couple of days after the Victoria Winter Seiries finale at Taupo motorsport park, I’m writing a brief heads up for those of you in our loop.
Day Overveiw:
As Dad has pointed out prior to this, our aim for the day was to go, kick back (yeah, right...) and relax to finish the winter series, hopefully with some good results given the new balance we have found for the Museum Hotel Kawasaki ZX6-6R after our down south stint over the past couple of weekends. The day panned out well, with minimal changes being made to the bike to make it work well, something we have not experienced in the past, and by far and away the best results for us over this year’s winter series.
Although Taupo is...well.....not my favourite track (I believe for a ‘modern’ facility, the track surface is below standard, and the safety features are next to non-existent in places, I’m just waiting in trepidation for someone on a motorcycle to be badly injured there) and I find the layout to be relatively slow, boring and uninvolving, for some strange reason I seem to be able to have a very good pace there. Winning 600SP and claiming the Taupo 600SP lap record, and with two close finishes in the superbike class seem to back this up well. We were very happy with the result, and are looking forward even more to the nationals.
Qualifying, 600SP (600 Sports Production):
Tried my new leathers for this session, and was a little late out on track. The leathers altered my feel much more than I was expecting, so I shelved them until later in the day. Unfortunately this change slowed me down a bit, and I was second on the grid, directly behind Chris Sucich, having his first ride on his new Kawasaki ZX-6R.
Qualifying, SuperBike F1:
Back with my familiar leathers, and getting used to the many many more bumps that have popped up around the Taupo MotorCross park ( I thought that was a few Km’s down the road...oh well) I qualified comparatively much better this session, with a 2nd place, behind Carey Briar on his ZX-10R, and ahead of all the 600’s and quite a few superbikes.
Race One, 600SP:
Got a terribly average start to be third into turn one. Towards the end of the first lap, Nick Cole missed a gear coming out of one of the faster corners, A1 GP. I shot passed him up the back straight, and dealt to Kyle Key through the middle of the sweeper when he ran a bit wide. Felt comfortable and steady over the four lap race, and put three good consistent laps together out of the flying laps. I learnt at the end that Chris had crashed his ZX-6R twice, lowering the gap in the championship to just four points, meaning if he finished less than second we would have somehow managed to claim the championship back after the average (to say the least) opening rounds of the season.
Race One, Superbike:
Got a brilliant start in this one and lead the first three laps. After Carey’s outstanding qualifying, I thought he would be passed very quickly, but after his muffed start he had to ride back through the field. When he passed me at the end of lap three, I hung on relatively well ‘round the infield, but didn’t have the power to put myself in a position to fight for the win. Ended a happy second, by less than a second.
Race Two, 600SP:
Not a bad start, second behind Kyle Key. Considered sitting behind him and trying to hold Chris back, but decided against it, and made an easy pass and lead, pulling away at around a 2/3rds of a second a lap, setting the new 600SP lap record of taupo on lap two of four. A couple of nice wheelies and slides on the last lap (hey, I was having fun) let second place catch up a bit, but took a comfortable win. Turned around at the finish to see.....Chris right behind me, giving him the championship by a solitary point. Well done that man!!
Race Two, Superbike:
Another good start and lead gave me the lead for the first two laps. Carey came past, but I stuck with him, and made up almost a second and a half on the last lap to trail him at the finish by just .3 sec, for another 2nd place.
Very happy with the day, Much fun was had by all!!
Particularly at the after after fuction......:D
Cheers :), Jay Lawrence #37.
Hey there guys,
Just a couple of days after the Victoria Winter Seiries finale at Taupo motorsport park, I’m writing a brief heads up for those of you in our loop.
Day Overveiw:
As Dad has pointed out prior to this, our aim for the day was to go, kick back (yeah, right...) and relax to finish the winter series, hopefully with some good results given the new balance we have found for the Museum Hotel Kawasaki ZX6-6R after our down south stint over the past couple of weekends. The day panned out well, with minimal changes being made to the bike to make it work well, something we have not experienced in the past, and by far and away the best results for us over this year’s winter series.
Although Taupo is...well.....not my favourite track (I believe for a ‘modern’ facility, the track surface is below standard, and the safety features are next to non-existent in places, I’m just waiting in trepidation for someone on a motorcycle to be badly injured there) and I find the layout to be relatively slow, boring and uninvolving, for some strange reason I seem to be able to have a very good pace there. Winning 600SP and claiming the Taupo 600SP lap record, and with two close finishes in the superbike class seem to back this up well. We were very happy with the result, and are looking forward even more to the nationals.
Qualifying, 600SP (600 Sports Production):
Tried my new leathers for this session, and was a little late out on track. The leathers altered my feel much more than I was expecting, so I shelved them until later in the day. Unfortunately this change slowed me down a bit, and I was second on the grid, directly behind Chris Sucich, having his first ride on his new Kawasaki ZX-6R.
Qualifying, SuperBike F1:
Back with my familiar leathers, and getting used to the many many more bumps that have popped up around the Taupo MotorCross park ( I thought that was a few Km’s down the road...oh well) I qualified comparatively much better this session, with a 2nd place, behind Carey Briar on his ZX-10R, and ahead of all the 600’s and quite a few superbikes.
Race One, 600SP:
Got a terribly average start to be third into turn one. Towards the end of the first lap, Nick Cole missed a gear coming out of one of the faster corners, A1 GP. I shot passed him up the back straight, and dealt to Kyle Key through the middle of the sweeper when he ran a bit wide. Felt comfortable and steady over the four lap race, and put three good consistent laps together out of the flying laps. I learnt at the end that Chris had crashed his ZX-6R twice, lowering the gap in the championship to just four points, meaning if he finished less than second we would have somehow managed to claim the championship back after the average (to say the least) opening rounds of the season.
Race One, Superbike:
Got a brilliant start in this one and lead the first three laps. After Carey’s outstanding qualifying, I thought he would be passed very quickly, but after his muffed start he had to ride back through the field. When he passed me at the end of lap three, I hung on relatively well ‘round the infield, but didn’t have the power to put myself in a position to fight for the win. Ended a happy second, by less than a second.
Race Two, 600SP:
Not a bad start, second behind Kyle Key. Considered sitting behind him and trying to hold Chris back, but decided against it, and made an easy pass and lead, pulling away at around a 2/3rds of a second a lap, setting the new 600SP lap record of taupo on lap two of four. A couple of nice wheelies and slides on the last lap (hey, I was having fun) let second place catch up a bit, but took a comfortable win. Turned around at the finish to see.....Chris right behind me, giving him the championship by a solitary point. Well done that man!!
Race Two, Superbike:
Another good start and lead gave me the lead for the first two laps. Carey came past, but I stuck with him, and made up almost a second and a half on the last lap to trail him at the finish by just .3 sec, for another 2nd place.
Very happy with the day, Much fun was had by all!!
Particularly at the after after fuction......:D
Cheers :), Jay Lawrence #37.